Becoming a Salsero

I just realized that I've been writing for about half a year now but that I have never said what I think is the best way to learn.

Over the past couple of months I've met a lot of people that learned to dance salsa in different ways. The people I've met can be put into a couple of groups:

1. People that learn to dance salsa by taking lessons
2. People that learn to dance salsa by going to clubs
3. People that learn to dance salsa by watching videos
4. People that learn to dance salsa by doing all of the above

That is a very basic breakdown and there are a lot of subcategories but let's keep it simple for now.

Over the next couple of posts I will look at the these different groups. Today I'll start out with group 1 and then I will work my way down the list. In the last post I'll also give you my point of view and let you know what I think is the best way to learn.

So let's have a closer look at the first group.

People that learn to dance salsa by taking lessons.

What are the advantages of taking lessons?

• You learn to dance the basic steps and once you know those you will keep learning new moves and patterns.
• Because of the way courses are set up you will be pushed to improve with every class.
• You have an instructor who can correct you when you make mistakes.
• You can ask questions when something is not clear.
• You learn about frame, tension, timing, how moves are lead, etc.
• Everybody in the class is at the same level as you are so there is no need to feel self conscious.
• It's easy to meet new people. Everybody is there for the same reason as you are, to learn to dance salsa

Sounds great doesn't it?
Unfortunately there are also some disadvantages.

• Classes are usually only once per week so progress can be slow.
• You need to have some discipline and practice at home or you will probably forget what you have learned.
  
• Practicing at home is hard if you don't have a partner so you may have to find one.
• Taking lessons can be expensive.
• Courses are often aimed at the 'average' student. If you're learn quicker than the average student you might get bored. If you learn a bit more slowly than the average student you may feel lost from time to time.

As you can see you will have to take some bad with the good.
Next time I will look at learning to dance salsa by going to clubs and see what the advantages and disadvantages are there.

Ok, so I'm a bit of a geek and spend a fair bit of time online.

Luckily there are a lot of salsa sites out on the net so being online does not mean having to go without salsa. Today I'll share my top 7 favourite salsa websites.* Or rather, my top 7 of information websites. I'm leaving out paid online classes, music sites, radio station etc. but will cover those another time.

Ok, enough rambling. My top 7 salsa websites for you:

1) Addicted2Salsa.com I love this website. They have great podcasts. It's amazing they don't charge for them. I also love their forum even though I don't really participate.

2) Salsaforums.com The name says it all. A great community although, just like before, I don't really participate. I love lurking there though.

3) Salsafreak.com Edie's website. I'm just mentioning this one but check all her other sites as well. The links are on this site.

4) The Unlikely Salsero Don is by far my favourite blogger. I don't think there's a single post of his that I don't like.

5) YouTube The ultimate collection of video clips. The only downside is that the quality is often poor.

6) Chrissie's Salsa Directory It's chaotic but has lots of links relating to salsa in Germany and Austria. As I live in Germany at the moment this one hit my top 7.

7) Ritmo Bello A site that I've only just discovered but has great content.`


* Disclaimer: This is my personal top 7 salsa websites. Your mileage my vary.
Also, I've found that there are a lot of great websites that don't show up on obvious google searches so if you know of any websites that you think should have been mentioned here feel free to leave a comment.

Apparently I've been plagiarized.

Now part of me is all excited about that.
I mean, this was mainly meant to keep track of my own progress but, as with dancing salsa, I'm slowly starting to go from being shy to liking attention.

Now I would not have known this if wanderingsalsero hadn't blogged about it and I would have probably been perfectly happy if I had not known about it. Ignorance after all is bliss.

However, now that I do know about it I feel . . . used.
It's not that I feel my writing is great or that my content is great. However, it is my writing and my content. And if anybody wants to publish it on their site I feel they should at least link back.

Btw wanderingsalsero, thanks for the 'Ok' feedback. It's a higher rating than I would have given myself ;-)